art by mags! - urban folk art featuring recycled materials + diy design = t-shirts, mixed media, art prints, and more! New Orleans, Louisiana

blogbymags! portrait of the artist as a craftivist...

Manifest Hope: D.C. Show + Contest Info Posted

Yes, I'm still on vacation in Louisville, but I wanted to go ahead and post all the info about the Manifest Hope: D.C. show now that the press releases have finally gone out and the website has been updated.

I just an hour ago finally purchased my plane ticket to get up there, arriving on Thursday, January 15th, in time for the press/collector preview party on Friday, though I'm not exactly sure how I'm getting home yet because the return flights were outrageously expensive all the way through Friday after the inauguration. (Might try to hitch a ride home, might take the train or rent a car... I'll figure it out.)

But so here's the basics:

Art plays a pivotal role in creating cultural momentum. The MANIFEST HOPE: DC Gallery celebrates that role and shines a spotlight on artists who use their voices to amplify and motivate the grassroots movement that carried President-Elect Barack Obama to victory.

MANIFEST HOPE: DC gathers together a diverse array of the nation’s most talented visual artists under one roof to mark this monumental achievement in our nation’s history and encourages artists and activists to maintain the momentum to bring about true change in the United States.

Along with its partners, MoveOn.org Political Action, the Service Employees International Union and Obey Giant, MANIFEST HOPE: DC, will issue an inspiring visual call-to-action, encouraging a redirection of public energy toward true reform in three key areas:

* Health Care Reform
* Workers’ Rights
* The Green Economy

The MANIFEST HOPE: DC Gallery will be open to the public in Washington, DC for the days preceding the Presidential Inauguration, Saturday, January 17th, 2009 through Monday, January 19th, 2009 between the hours of 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM.

MANIFEST HOPE: DC
January 17th-19th, 2009
10:00am - 6:00pm 3333 M Street NW, Washington DC 20007

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: (partial list)

Aaron Foster || Aaron Axelrod || Aaron Allen || Aaron and Ayumi Piland || Amy Martin || Andrew Bannecker || Andy Powell || Bask || Billi Kid || Billy Colbert || Blue Lucy || BOOKS IIII || Brian McCarty || Charlie Becker || Chris Stain || Chris Pastras || Cody Hudson || Damon Locks || Dan Woehrle || Dan Monick || Dan Funderburgh || David Choe || Deroy Peraza || Eddie || El MAC || Estevan Oriol || Felix Jackson Jr. || Frederic Terral || Gary Baseman || George Vlosich || Ginger Che || Guillermo Bert || Herb Williams || House Industries || HVW8 || James Widener || Jason Hardy || Jason Dietrick || JK5 || Jon Wippich || Jovi Schnell || Julie Adler || Justin Kleiner || Justin Hampton || Justin Kemerling || “Justin Demo” Fines || Karen Wippich || Katherine Kendall || Kelly Towles || Kelly Ording || Kenji Hirata || Kwaku Alston || Larissa Marantz || Luba Lukova || Lukas Ketner || Margaret Coble || Mark Jenkins || Matt Kleiner || Maya Hayuk || Mel Kadel || Michael Cuffe || Mike Murphy || Mike Jacob || Mike Perry || Munk One || Nick Dewar || Paul Roden & Valerie Lueth || Rafael Lopez || Ray Noland || Regan Rosburg || Ron English || Sage Vaughn || Sam Flores || Sarah Hoskins || Scot LeFavor || Scott Hansen || Shel Starkman || Sol Sender || Tanya M Rodrigo || Tatyanna Fazlalizadeh || Tes One || Tim Conlon || Tim Tate || Tina Rodas || Tom Slaughter || Travis Millard || Tristan Eaton || Van Taylor Monroe || Will Barras || Yvonne Boogaerts

CONTEST

MANIFEST HOPE: DC invites you to show your art in Washington, D.C. during the Presidential Inauguration Celebration alongside some of the most celebrated artists today.

Here is how it works:

MANIFEST HOPE: DC and its partners are offering the public an opportunity to submit art in an online contest, with three chances to win. The contest is comprised of three parts. You can make one submission per category, totaling a maximum of three submissions. The three categories are: Health Care Reform, Workers' Rights and The Green Economy. Submission is quick and simple. Just click HERE to submit images of your original artwork. We will be accepting submissions from Monday, December 22nd, 2008 through 11:59 a.m. EDT on Friday, January 9th, 2009.

Of the submitted works, 15 pieces, 5 from each category, will be selected by our panel of acclaimed judges to show at MANIFEST HOPE: DC in Washington, D.C., which will be open from Saturday, January 17th - Monday, January 19th, 2009 for the days preceding the Presidential Inauguration. Selected works will then be shipped over-night by the artists to the Manifest Hope: DC gallery (shipping costs covered by Manifest Hope: DC).

You can submit any medium of art: painting, sculpture, collage - any 2D or 3D creation that uses positive messaging to convey the urgency and importance of encouraging a national dialogue about the contest's three themes. Please use your creative ideas to help capture the energy we have experienced in this momentous campaign! Also, please make sure to read the guidelines of this contest HERE before submitting your work.

You can read ALL the details yourself on the Manifest Hope: D.C. website. Spread the word, tell your friends, and get to making some hope-ful art!!!

permalink posted Tuesday, December 30, 2008 0 comments |

Taking A Much-Needed Break

Well, my holiday vending frenzy is now officially OVER, and I'm frankly relieved. It was a hard slog this year, and though sales were definitely about 30% down from last year, I'm grateful for what I did make and for all of you who spent your hard-earned dollars with me. So thank you all so very much!

Now my attention shifts to figuring out what artwork I will be sending up for the Manifest Hope: DC Obama art show in January, and how I will be affording to get myself up there for it. The show will be taking place from Jan. 17-19 at 3333 M Street NW, Washington D.C. (that's in Georgetown) and will be open daily to the public from 10am til 6pm. There's gonna be a huge closing party on the 19th with some awesome musical talent performing - stay tuned for more details coming soon. I know it will be amazing, and I'm beyond excited to have been asked to participate. In between holiday festivities, I will be working to churn out some new Obama art, and stock up on the old... so keep checking back in to see how you can help me get to D.C. by purchasing some of my Obama art. (Or anything else I make!)

But before that, I'll be taking a quick trip up to Louisville to visit my father and our friends up there. We'll only be gone five days, but I just wanted to mention it in case anyone places an order - it'll just be delayed a few days, until we get back at the end of the week. (We get back on New Year's Day.)

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays, and that you can kick back and relax and try to remember what the holidays are really supposed to be about - enjoying time off, loved ones and the winter season.

permalink posted Saturday, December 27, 2008 0 comments |

Last Stop Shop + Broad Street Bazaar This Week!

Ten days til Christmas - do you have all your shopping done? Well if not, there are still plenty of opportunities for you procrastinators.

Lucky for you, the New Orleans Craft Mafia is having their annual Last Stop Shop at the Big Top art gallery (1638 Clio St.) this Thursday evening from 6-10pm. It's the perfect after-work stop-off to finish off your shopping list, and with all eleven of our members participating, including several new companies, you'll have lots of one-of-a-kind and handmade gift options. Plus we'll have party food, a cash bar and Christmas tunes - including live sets by ukelele troubadour Littler Richard - and our annual handmade ornanament and tree raffle, with proceeds benefiting Recycle for the Arts. So it's not just a sale - it's also a party! Come kick back with us and shop at the same time!

Then, on Saturday, I'll be doing my last market of the season, at the Broad Street Bazaar. I didn't do it last month due to my sweetie's birthday, so I'm looking forward to being there again. At the corner of Broad Street and Bienville in Midcity, things kick off at 11am and go til 4pm. There's more than 45 vendors this time, live music, food vendors and who knows what other festive goings-on.

Hope to see you at one of these last two events!

permalink posted Tuesday, December 16, 2008 0 comments |

Still Chugging Along... and, Big News!

Well the first weekend of madness is over with, only two more to go! Freret on Saturday rocked, but I was feeling so crappy on Sunday when I woke up that I ended up cancelling on the Unitarian Church. There was just no way I could be out in public, but I apologize to the UU's and to anyone who might have gone by looking for me.

Not to worry, you've plenty more chances to find me in the next two weeks, starting with Frerestivus on Saturday and then Washington Square Park on Sunday. Read the home page for all the details, or check my full schedule. Of course, you could just shop here online or on my Etsy shop, or you can even just email or call me to place an order. I'm flexible!

In other news, I wish I had more info to share about this, but this is all I know: a few days ago I was asked to contribute some pieces to the Manifest Hope DC art show that is being put together by Shepard Fairey, Yosi Sergant and much of the same crew that did the Manifest Hope show in Denver for the DNC last summer! I was so disappointed that I missed out on the last one, due to being out of town for the entire month when the show was being planned and executed, so I was doubly excited to have been asked to participate in this one. I'm still not exactly sure what I will be sending up for the show - my original "Believe" prints? or maybe a canvas or wood version of the same thing, or a bigger one? or should I be coming up with a new design? - but I've got a few weeks to do it and get it up there by early January. I'm beyond flattered and actually a bit nervous, but excited nonetheless. And now my brain is racing trying to figure out how the heck I can afford to get up there for the show, during the inauguration. DC friends, are you all booked up yet? Keep an eye out here for whatever fundraising scheme I come up with to get me there.

But for now, it's back to the grind. Gotta make a few more things to have out with me this weekend and next, and finish up some custom orders for folks. Hope to see you local folks out and about!

permalink posted Tuesday, December 09, 2008 0 comments |

2nd Weekend of Holiday Vending

Well I survived the first weekend of holiday vending madness, though I had to regrettably cancel on the Unitarian Church's sale on Sunday due to illness. But Freret on Saturday was a blast, and sales were brisk.

If you missed Freret last weekend, well you have another shot. The awesome organizers of Freret Market are picking up the slack that Festivus left behind - many vendors' and shoppers' most beloved of holiday markets for the past five years - and are offering FRERESTIVUS, a holiday market for the rest of us, this next Saturday, December the 13th, in the regular uptown location near the corner of Freret and Napoleon from noon til 5pm. They have so many food/art/flea vendors signed up, they are opening up the second lot, down the street on Freret, to accomodate everyone! There will again be bands, tons of great food from local restaurants, pet adoptions, a kids activities tent, Big Easy Rollergirls, and several members of the New Orleans Craft Mafia! I'll have more new clocks, some new tshirts, baby onesies, cufflinks, ornaments, signs, prints and more. Come visit the traditional Festivus pole, witness feats of strength, and air your grievances, all while getting all your holiday shopping accomplished in one place!

Sunday, from 10am - 4pm, I'll be at Washington Square Park at the Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association's Holiday Art Market, which leads up to their 24th annual Candlelight Caroling event at 6pm. The Art Market will showcase local artists selling fine jewelry, water colors, stained glass, handmade soaps, relief prints, photography, paintings, hand-painted oyster shells, hand knitted jackets, tops, scarves, hats, handmade silver, gemstone and fashion jewelry, hand sewn purse and shoulder bags, glass, stone & ceramic mosaic wall hangings, folk art, embroidered textile art pieces, clothing & bags, dolls, clay art pieces, artistic wood turnings and carvings, handmade chocolates and many more from:

Amzie Adams Ann Dalton Bedonna Magid-Wakeman Charles Bush Chris Porche-West David Bergeron Dawn McKenna Donna Dupre Gary Rosenblatt Hannah Heidi Diekelman Hulya Willis Jan Keels Jeanette "Cori" Akins Jeannie Detweiler Jessica Radcliff Joy Gauss Juliette Hare O'Connor Kiki Huston Layla Messkoub Linda Berman Lizzy Carlson Margaret Coble Martin Welch Michael Gaule Mike Brouphy Pam Caruso Paulette M. Lizano Peggy Trahan Peter Boutte Phillip Whitmore Rebecca Rebouche Robert Shaffer Terry Gaskins Tracy Thomson Trish Ransom Valerie McCreary Violet Skye Ze Da Luz

In addition to the market, there will be live music from Coco Robicheaux & The Swamp Monsters, Troy Turner, Leroy Freeman & Rick Jones, Helen Gillet, Daron Douglas & Luke Brechtelsbauer String Trio & NOCCA Vocal Students to help get everyone in the holiday spirit. There will also be a Kids Area with crafts, clowns performing magic tricks, face painting and pictures with Papa Noel.

For the rest of my holiday schedule, check the full list of my December engagements, or feel free to shop right here online on my webshop or my Etsy shop.

permalink posted Monday, December 08, 2008 0 comments |

Busy Weekend Ahead!

This weekend kicks off the beginning of a whirlwind few weeks of holiday vending for me. I've been busting out clocks these past few days to beef up my stock, and organizing all the t-shirts, onesies, ties, cufflinks, prints, signs, mixed media pieces and ornaments, trying to imagine how the heck I'm going to fit it all in the car to take to markets this weekend. I need a bigger vehicle!

First, for anyone who might be - or know someone - in the Providence, RI area, tonight is the grand opening of Craftland 2008, from 5-9pm at 235 Westminster Street in Providence. I've got some clocks, cufflinks and ornaments in the show this year, so bring your friends and do some shopping! Tons of local-to-the-area artists, plus folks like me from around the country, will have their stuff for sale - it's a veritable cornucopia of craftiness! If you happen to miss the opening, don't worry, Craftland is open seven days a week from December 6-24th, from 11am - 6pm (except open til 8pm on Thursdays and Saturdays!). I've done this show for several years now, and one of these years I'll actually get around to making it up there for it. From the pictures I've seen, though, it looks amazing. Talk about your one-stop shopping!

Back here at home, I've got two local markets on my schedule. First is the special Holiday Freret Market on Saturday, from 12 noon til 5pm at the corner of Napoleon and Freret Street, uptown. Almost 100 vendors this time in the parking lot, plus all the usual festivities like bands, food, kids tent, pet adoptions, and more. My Craft Mafia homies greenKangaroo, Bayou Salvage and Unique Products will also be there, so you know we'll be having fun! The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, so come check us out and get that holiday shopping taken care of early.

Sunday, greenkangaroo and I will both be at the Tree and Holiday Sale at the First Unitarian Universalist Church uptown, from 9:30am - 5pm, at the corner of Jefferson and Claiborne. I hear they have some of the best trees in town, and you can feel good about your tree purchase knowing it goes to support the UU's. I think it's the first year they're trying out a Craft Market in conjunction with the tree sale, so I have no idea what to expect, but again, the weather is supposed to be beautiful, and I LOVE the smell of Christmas trees, so I'm looking forward to it. So come get your tree and some holiday shopping done at the same time!

permalink posted Friday, December 05, 2008 0 comments |

I've Been Flipped!

You may remember me mentioning a little while back that I'd gotten a bunch of requests to sign some stickers, after being mentioned in the Obama Art Report blog.

Well, I guess I can say I've hit the big-time now, as mere days after I sent out those three packages that contained signed stickers, one of the recipients - a genuine and true fan and repeat customer (thanks Laz!) - tipped me off that one had made its way up onto eBay for resale. After a little bit more searching, I discovered there were several auctions up of my stickers and even a spoke card (which, btw, allowed me to figure out exactly who the flipper was).

I was at first very upset by all this, mostly because I felt like I'd been played by the guy who bought the stickers and asked me to sign one. I mean, Zoltron at Stickerobot.com had printed these things for me for free, so I didn't feel ethically OK about selling them for a mad profit, which is why I gave the majority of them away and the ones I did "sell," I did so for only the cost of postage, an envelope and PayPal fees. I guess I could have raised a stink about it, confronted the guy and chewed him out, or notified eBay of a sale of unauthorized product, but I chose to just let it go. Life's too short to waste on idiots, and his karma will catch up to him. My friends all say it's the price of getting press and growing my business, and that I should be flattered. And I guess they are right in many respects, but I will say this - I will be much more cautious in the future about signing things, that's for sure!

permalink posted Tuesday, December 02, 2008 0 comments |

archives